When navigating a return to civilian life after being in the Navy proved rocky for one veteran Taylor Grieger, he dedicated himself to a mother mission: sailing down fo the treacherous waters of Cape Horn,. Inviting an old pal from his high school swimming team in Texas, Stephen O’Shea was a good choice. He had just finished studying the effect of PTSD on veterans, a malady his friend was also battling with.
Embarking on the journey to inspire others and to raise awareness of mental health and the raising suicide rate among veterans, the two set up a website and decided to chronicle the journey extensively with cameras.
They didn’t know how it would all come out, but the resulting documentary “Hell or High Seas,” directed by Glenn Holsten, turns out to be nearly as dramatic as the mission itself. “The Odyssey” was a lifelong inspiration for Greiger and likewise the film has a sense of the monumental journey frought with unexpected problems.
Just a few days in, they run into Hurricane Harvey, a major Category 4 storm in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. They survive that, but Stephen scrapes the boat on some shallow coral, causing some leaks. A starter goes out and they have to drift for a few weeks. Pirates buzz them. There is no shortage of storms and high swells. This kind of seaward drama plays well on things like “Deadliest Catch” and it’s just as cinematic here, maybe more so since the two young men are so inexperienced. Still, they’re determined, and eventually a third vet joins them, John Rose, who is in need of his own healing.
Balancing out the fearsome dangers are moments of exhilaration, with big fish catches, amazing scenery and the thrill of approaching their long sought goal.